Traction-wheel.



H. E. TREDUP.

TRACTION WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 13. 1917.

'1 ,292,974;. I Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHET 2- H. E. TREDUP.

TRACTION WHEEL.

APP LICATION FILED OCT. 13. 1911.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 I V I awbemiioz flew/12022 T :Zwdafi \w a M m a J 0 W 2 f 1 g HERMAN EDWARD TREDUP, F SEBEWAING, MICHIGAN.

TRACTION-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Application filed October 18, 1917. Serial No. 196,488.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN Enwann TREDUP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sebewaing, in the county of Huron and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Traction- Wheels, of which the following is a specifition.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the mvention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts WhlCh will be hereinafter fully descrlbed and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of .the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a traction wheel constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2- is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken at ri' ht-anglesto Fig.2.

d ig. 4 is a perspective view of the hub, de-

I tached.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the rotary collartaken at right angles to the axis of rotation.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the traction elements. I

Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view of a portion of the rotary collar showing one of the lugs with which the traction elements are connected. e

Fig. 8 is a detail view partlym section 66 and partly in elevation showing a portion of the wheel including the device for actuating the rotary collar and the support for said device. 7

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the supporting member, detached.

Fig. 10 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevation showin the looking dog and the supporting brac et for the same.

Fig. 11 is a perspective detail view of the supporting bracket, detached.

Fig. 12 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevation showing a'portion of the rotary collar and related parts.

Corresponding arts in the several figures are denoted by li e characters of reference.

The hub of the improved wheel, in its preferred form, consists of a cylindrical casting 15 provided adjacent to the ends thereof with radial arms 16 having reinforcing Patented Jan. 28,1919.

flanges 17 producing sockets in which the inner ends of the spokes 18.are seated, the spokes being secured by fastening means, such as rivets 19. The outer ends of the spokes are riveted upon or otherwise connected with the rim 20 of the wheel. Two sets of spokes have been shown, eight in each set, but the number may be varied at the discretion of the manufacturer.

The hub is provided intermediate the ends of the cylindrical casting 15 with disks 21 each having a concentric flange 22, said flanges being formed on the inner faces of the respective disks so as to extend in the direction of each other. The disks 21 are reinforced by webs 23 extending between the flanges 22 and the cylindrical castin 15' and addltional small reinforcing webs 24 connect the flanges 22 with the inner faces of the .disks 21. It will be understood that the hub, comprising the cylindrical ortion 15, the socket portions 1617, the anged disks 21 and the reinforcing webs 23-24, is formed preferably as a single complete castin enabling it to be produced at a very mo erate expense.

Seated on the flanges 22 for rotation about the axis of the hub is a collar C which, as best seen in Fig. 5, is composed of two segments 25 having overlap ing joints 26 and provided adjacent to their respective edges with lugs 27 apertured for the passage of connectin bolts 28, whereby the segments are assem led when fitted upon the flanges 22. The segments of the collar are pro- 60 with the rack.

vided with flanges 29 overlapping the circumferential edges of the disk 21,-the parts being snugly fitted together to prevent the admission of sand, dirt and the like. One

of. the segments 25 is provided with a seg-..

mental rack 30, the same being preferably cast or formed integrally therewith. The collar C is provided with equidistantly disposed lugs 31, said lugs being transversely apertured at 32 and *reinforced by webs 33.

The lugs 31 are preferably arranged in staggered relation as will be best seen in Fig. 2.

Pivotally connected with the lugs 31 are the inner ends of the traction elements D which are preferably cross shaped in cross section as will be clearly seen in Fig. 6, each of said elem'entsconsisting of a rod or bar of suitable length having at its inner end a bifurcated'end -34 which is connected with r one of the lugs 31 by a pin or pivot mem ber 35; At its outer end each of the traction elements is provided with a cross shaped socket 36 for the 'reception of the correspondingly shaped ground engaging spur 37 which is secured detachably in the socket 36 by means of a set screw 38. The spur 37 is adapted to be projected through a cross shaped slot 39 in the rim 20, said slot being reinforced on the inner face of the rim by a cross shaped slotted plate 40 which maybe riveted or otherwiseesecured on the rim as Y seen at 41. The traction elements, when retracted, are disposed almost tangentially with respect to the collar C so that they will be projected practically in a straight line when the collar is rotated about its axis, thereby lessening the liability of the spurs to bind in the slots through which they are projected. The plates 40, in addition to reinforcing the construction, also form extended guides for the spurs 37, also tending to lessen the liability of the spurs to stickor bind.

'Meshing with the rack 30 on the collar G is a small pinion 42 carried by a shaft 43 which is supported for rotation on a bearing member consisting of a bar 44 midway between the ends of which is formed a half box 45 cooperating with a detachable cap 46to form a bearing for the shaft. The

'50Tends of the bar 44 are bifurcated, as seen at 47 for engagement with two of the spokes 18, apertures 48 being provided for the passage of bolts 49, whereby the bearing member is secured in position, it being evident that the outward displacement of the bearing member is made impossible by the outward divergence p the spokes, while movement in an inwa (1 direction is made impossible by the engagement of the pinion Assuming, therefore, that the parts are properly fitted, noparticular clamping action of the bolts 49 is therefore required. The outer end of the shaft 43 is squared for the reception of a detachable e5 wrench 50, whereby the shaft may be rotion elements as maybe required. I

For the purpose o'f-locking the. shaft and related parts in adjusted position, the

said shaft is provided externally of the a housing 52 with a pinion 53 of a diameter exceeding that of the pinion 42, this being in order toprovide greater leverage for the locking device. The locking device includes a dog 54 which is fulcrumed on a stud 55, said stud being formed on a supporting bracket 56, best seen in Fig. 11. The supporting bracket is provided with apertures 57 for the passage of fastening means,such

as bolts 58, whereby it is secured externally on one of the disks 21 of the hub. The supporting bracket, in addition to the stud 55, is provided with a half box 59 cooperating with a cap 60 to form an auxiliary bearing for the shaft 43. The supporting bracket is also formed with a segmental por-' tion 61 having notches 62 adapted to be engaged by a stop member 63 mounted on the handle portion of the dog 54. The latter includes a curved portion 64 overlying the pinion 53 andhaving teeth 65 engaging between the teeth of the pinion, which latter may thus be locked against rotation. By disengaging the stop member 63 from one of the notches 62 the dog may be rocked to place the teeth 65 in or out of engagement with the pinion 53, thereby locking the shaft 42 against rotation or rotated as desired.

In the construction of the improved wheel it is intended to make the traction elements and the parts whereby said elements are actuated and supported as light as con sistent with strength. It has also been especially'endeavored tov strengthen and reinforce all parts that are subjected to particular strain. Endeavor has also been made to avoid weakening the spokes and other parts of the wheel unnecessarily by the formation of holes for the adjustment of parts. Thus,

for instance, the supporting bar 44 on the shaft 43 is mounted securely in position without perforating the spokes for the passage of bolts. The general structure of the wheel is simple, economical and eflioient. The operation will be readily understood by the foregoing description, it being obvious that when the spurs of the traction elements are projected beyond the rim of the wheel, they will prevent the wheel from slipping, by engagement with the ground.

en the spurs are retracted, the wheel prepermitting it to be sents a smooth external surface as is desirable when passing over hard roads in order to revent injury to the road surface.

at is claimed is 1. In a traction wheel, a hub comprising a cylindrical casting provided intermediate the ends thereof with flanged disks, said disks and the flanges thereof being reinforced by webs, some of which extend between the flanges and the cylindrical casting, other webs extending between the flanges and the inner faces of the disks.

2., In a traction wheel, a hub comprising a cylindrical casting provided intermediate the ends thereof with flanged disks, and a collar supported for rotation on the flanges, said collar havin flanges that overlap the circumferential e ges of the disks.

3. In a traction wheel, a traction element consisting of a bar having a cross shaped socket at its outer end, a cross shaped spur-engaging said socket, and means for securing the spur detachably in the socket.

4. A traction wheel having movably suported traction elements, a collar supported or rotation about the axis of the wheel,

means whereby the traction elements are pivotally connected with the collar to be projected and retracted by rotation thereof,

0 a rack segment formed on the collar, a shaft copies of this patent may he obtolned for having a pinion engaging the rack segment,

and a support for said shaft com rising a bar having bifurcated ends to em race the spokes of the wheel and uprights and means to engage the bifurcated ends beyond the spokes whereby said bar is clamped on the spokes.

5. A traction wheel having movably supported traction elements, a collar supported for rotation about the axis of the wheel,

means whereby the traction elements are pivotally connected with the collar to be projected and retracted by rotation thereof, a rack segment formed on the collar, a shaft having a small pinion engaging the rack segment, a relatively large pinion also carried by said shaft, and lock means engaging the large pinion to lock the shaft against rotation at various adjustments, said looking means comprising a dog having teeth engaging between the teeth of the large pinion, a stop member carried by the dog, and a supporting bracket on which thedo is fulcrumed, said bracket having a notche segmental portion engaged by the stop member, said supporting bracket being also provided with an auxiliary bearing for the shaft carrying the pinions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HERMAN EDWARD TREDUP.

five cents each, by addressing the (Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

